Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association, commonly known as Ma-Concern, has warned the community that perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) will be isolated by the community and not be allowed to set foot or buy liquor at taverns owned by its members.
“To knock some sense into the heads of perpetrators of GBV, our members won’t sell them liquor at their taverns and will isolate them until they stop the nonsense that they are doing,” said founder and President of Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association Oupa Mthombeni in an interview with Tshwane Talks at Moretele Park on Tuesday.
The occasion was to mark the final official national day against GBV.
“As liquor traders, GBV is a very serious problem to us and we would like to appeal to all liquor traders in general to become our ambassadors regarding activism against GBV,” he said.
“We want liquor traders to receive reports and names of people who abuse their families whenever they are drunk and pass them on to us so that we can get rid of those abusive characters, be they men or women,” said Mthombeni.
“We appeal to members of the community not to fight with their families when drunk but try to solve whatever problems they might be having amicably with their family members,” advised Mthombeni.
“If one is an abusive character when drunk and we then stop selling them liquor, that will change their abusive behaviour as they will realise that the community doesn’t want them,” said Mthombeni as he added that this kind of action will prevent a situation whereby the abusive character gets arrested or divorced, as this will lead to children suffering.
He pointed out that his organisation also tries by all means possible to encourage its members to comply with the rules, regulations and by-laws that govern the sale and consumption of alcohol at taverns and other related liquor outlets.
“Our members are also encouraged not to sell alcohol to pregnant women, underage youth, those who are already drunk and also to those who are in the habit of spending all their money on alcohol without giving even a cent to their families,” he said.
Other stakeholders who were at Moretele Park to support the efforts of Ma-Concern were the SAPS, mental health associations, community safety organisations, Tshwane Metro as well as Thandanani Drop-Inn Centre who publicised anti-drug awareness messages.
Convener of National Liquor Traders Lucky Ntimane told Tshwane Talks that as liquor traders they see themselves more as part of the community than businesspeople and that they saw it fit to come and support Ma-Concern in their anti GBV efforts.
“We joined in the visit to some of the houses of victims of GBV to give them support and another thing is that we have agreed as liquor traders that we are going to conduct our businesses responsibly and not put profit before the needs of our people,” said Ntimane.
“Compliance is going to be a by-word for us this festive season as we are going to comply with every rule and regulation that governs the sale of alcohol, and make sure that our communities enjoy the festive season in peace and actively make sure that the envisaged peace is sustainable,” he said.
Ntimane revealed that as liquor traders they are of the belief that support to victims of GBV must not only be in words but must be accompanied by deeds, and that to this effect they have handed “care packs” to victims of GBV.
“The care packs contain items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, bath soaps and sanitary pads, which we believe will give dignity to the needy victims so that they can get their dignity back during this festive season,” said Ntimane.